


Mother Hen

by 84years



Series: For Better [2]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Emily is in love and might have a broken heart and I'm sorry, F/F, I promise there will be more fun stuff but the first chapter is just getting everything set up, I'll add more characters when they actually enter the piece, really it's just hope being a mom to her, this is very heavy on Hope's relationship with Emily
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-31 14:21:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8581867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/84years/pseuds/84years
Summary: When Emily doesn't show up to the championship game Hope isn't that worried. But when Emily shows up on her and Carli's doorstep the next day with a broken heart Hope is ready to fight someone.





	1. The Missing Defender

**Author's Note:**

> Yes hello! I'm trying to juggle a few pieces that go together some what so pardon me being MIA for awhile. I'm really excited to write about Hope being a mother figure to Emily and wanting to protect her from the woes of love (which you will see next chapter).

It was a joke. It was supposed to be a joke. This team family business, it’s supposed to be fun. At least, that’s what it looked like to Hope from the outside. No one had been her surrogate parent when she was a youngster on the team. The 99ers didn’t bring anyone into their ranks. It was them and you. But as they left and the new people came in a sense of family came with them. And now the National Team was the family that some of the girls never had. That’s what they were to Hope. Even though she gained them later in her life they showed her what a family was.

Hope’s wasn't sure why she picked Emily out of the crowd of news girls in the beginning. There was just something about that Georgia girl with the quiet eyes. Emily always made sure to interact with the team and put herself out there, yes; but her eyes, God, her eyes were the kind you found hidden deep in the library. Eyes that showed a yearning to run away. The complete opposite of Hope when she was younger. Hope had only wanted to prove herself when she was Emily’s age; from the very beginning Hope had a thirst to succeed that had taken over her life.

As girls came into Camp Hope saw, usually a less intense, version of herself in them all. All except Emily. The only one who came close to Emily was Kelley. Hope had mistaken Kelley’s curiosity for the world, her innocence, that shined bright in her eyes for a lack of drive. Which was quickly rectified when a screamer of a ball hit Hope straight in the gut.

But there was no mistaking with Emily. Hope watched her around the younger Mewis girl, watched as Emily restricted herself around the carefree, touchy midfielder. And that’s when it happened, when Hope realized why she was so drawn to Emily. The self sacrifice. Voluntarily putting yourself in the background to better someone else. Emily was Hope before anyone believed in her, before anyone told her she could be the best goalkeeper in the world.

Sam liked Emily well enough, they’re friends, but she also finds her attractive- anyone could see that. Hope had caught the young blonde trying to sneak glances at Emily enough times in the locker room to be confident in that. But Emily didn’t see that. Emily didn’t see a lot of things. She didn’t see the heads that turned when she walked into the room. She didn’t hear the flirtatious tone of the waitress who took her order at the team dinner. In Emily’s eyes she wasn’t enough, and no one had told her she was.

Hope made sure to make the girl feel welcomed on her backline. A pat on the back, a small smile during breakfast, maybe a nod when the girl made her way on the field during the game. They were all small gestures compared to Christen and Tobin who let Mal cuddle in bed with them. Or Lauren who still sends Moe macaroons during every Camp. But it was enough for Emily; she looked for Hope now in a room, unlike the other new girls who tried to shy away from the goalkeeper. At breakfast she sits in Hope’s eyesight so that she won’t miss the small smile sent her way. And Hope loves it.

——  
Hope finds out about Emily’s parents by accident.

“I don’t know if I’ll start Mom, we don’t find that out until the night before usually.” Emily had said tiredly into the phone, even though it was only two in the afternoon. “I mean I hope to. But the other girls are-“

Her mother must have cut her off.  
“Yeah, they’re the best mom. But I’m getting pretty good.” Emily tried to joke. Her face quickly drops as her mom replied.

“Ok, well, I’ll talk to you later.” Emily placed her phone in her pocket wiped at her dry eyes.

“You good kid?” Hope asked.

Emily quickly dropped her hands and tried to smile, “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Well if you need anything…” Hope offered.

A red blush spread across the defenders face, “I know where to find you, in between the goals.”

— —

When Portland lost Hope’s first thought was to text the defender.

Hope: You had a great game kid.

Hope doesn’t expect to get a text anytime soon but 10 minutes later her phone lit up.

**Sonny: Not good enough.**   
**Hope: You’re good enough. Somethings just don’t work out.**   
**Sonny: Yeah I know, thanks.**   
**Sonny: For everything.**

Hope leaves it at that.

— —

Emily doesn’t show up to the Championship game. Which isn’t that off, most didn’t, but everyone had checked in on the group chat except Emily. She disappeared. Tobin had went down to her apartment three days before the championship one morning and she was gone.

At first it was just thought she went on a run. But four hours later she still hadn’t showed up and Tobin was worried.

**Heath: We lost Emily?**   
**Klingy: You guys playing hide and seek with out me?**   
**Heath: No. Like she’s been gone since this morning and she hasn’t answered my text.**   
**BROON: Did yo try calling her?**   
**BROON: *you**   
**Heath: Straight to voice mail.**   
**BROON: Has anyone heard from Emily lately?**   
**DunnDidIt: No**   
**Long: No**   
**Steph: I just tried calling her and it rang once then went straight to voice mail.**   
**JJ: So she’s ignoring us?**   
**Carli: Are you sure she isn’t in her apartment?**   
**Heath: Yeah, I asked her neighbors and they said they hadn’t seen or hear anything for the last day or two.**   
**BROON: shit**   
**Kriegs: Lets give it a few more hours and see what happens ok?**   
**Kriegs: I’m sure she’s fine.**

“Babe, did you see the group chat?” Carli called out from their kitchen.

“Yeah.” Hope walked in to the room and leaned against the wall, her eye brows furrowed.

“Maybe you should try?”

Hope shook her head. “Ali’s right, give her some time. She needs space.”

“But if we don’t hear from her by tonight-

“I’ll message her don’t worry.”

— —

They didn’t hear from her that night. Tobin and Kling stayed station outside her door and they didn’t hear or see her.

**Klingy: She’s gone for sure.**   
**Heath: What do we do?**   
**PinHead: It’s not like we can call the police**   
**Pressy: maybe we could.**   
**DunnDidIt: Maybe she went home.**   
**Horan: No, she wouldn’t do that.**   
**Steph: No way.**   
**Alyssa: Has Sam tried calling her?**   
**Sam: She didn’t answer my text or calls.**

“Fuck.”

If Emily didn’t answer Sam’s calls then something was wrong. Hope pulled her phone out of her pocket and allows her finger to hover over Emily’s contact. Did she text her like she planned? Or should she call. Her finger jams the the green call button.

The phone rings. And rings. And rings. And for a moment Hope worried the girl wouldn’t pick up. On the last ring a breathless voice answers.

“Hope?” Emily asked, breathless from whatever she was doing.

“Hey kid.”

“Is everything alright?”

Hope chuckled, “Is everything alright with you?”  
Emily’s breathing paused, “Oh, the missed calls.”

“Yeah the missed calls. I just wanted to make sure you were safe and ok.” Hope admitted.

There’s a sharp intake of air, “Yeah,” Emily chokes out, “I’m fine.”

“That’s good to know. I’ll tell the team you’re ok so they’ll stop bothering you.”

“You’re not going to ask where I am?” Emily wondered. “What I’m doing?”

Hope shook her head even though she knew the younger girl couldn’t see her, “I know what it’s like to need to run away. Just be safe. Maybe check in once a day though.”

“Who knew Hope Solo was such a mother hen?” Emily joked.

“Well I have to be when my little chicks decide to be Carmen Sandiego.”

Emily laughed, “Fair.”

A voice from wherever Emily was calls her name.

“Sounds like you got to go. Be safe Emily.” Hope reminded her.

“Bye Hope.”

“Bye chickadee.”

The phone clicked signaling the end of the call. Hope pulls up the group chat.

**Hope: I just talked to her. She’s safe.**   
**Tobin: Seriously?**   
**Long: No offense Hope, but you?**   
**Steph: What? We called her hundreds of time.**   
**PewPew: If Hope called me I’d be too scared to not pick it up.**   
**Pressy: Don’t be rude Mal.**   
**Sam: Where is she?**   
**Hope: I didn’t ask, she didn’t tell. I just know that she’s safe where she is.**   
**BROON: Well that’s good.**   
**Hope: Also I told her I’d get you guys to leave her alone.**   
**Steph: but…**   
**Hope: Whatever the situation is she wants to be alone. She’ll be back when she’s ready.**

Hope placed her phone into her pocket and walked into her bedroom to go to sleep. As she went through the motions of going to bed the unknown voice on the phone kept replaying in her head. It was none of her business who Emily was with, she knew that, but that voice had sounded so familiar. Hope knew that voice-she was sure of it.

The ping of her phone ripped her away from her thoughts as she looks down at the screen.

Message from Sammy  
Sam: Do you think she’s going to be back for the championship?

Hope released an uneasy breath.

Hope: I don’t think so kid.

She waited as she saw the response dots on the screen continue to move for what seemed like a day. Finally the dots disappeared but Hope was left with no new message. The questions and the hurt from that seemed to be louder than any message could be.

Hope went to bed worried for her new, smaller family.

— —

The Championship came and went with only short conversations from Emily. It was obvious that she was in a different country as she sent a text at 5:00 AM saying that she was having an awesome salad that made her think of Carli.

**Sonny: This salad is like the greenest thing I’ve ever eaten. Carlos would love it.**   
**Hope: I’ll make sure to tell her that. But maybe you should try eating something local?**   
**Sonny: Local?**   
**Hope: It’s 5AM here chickadee.**   
**Hope: Hope you’re enjoying Europe.**

Emily’s response was just over a guy pointing with the caption ‘you’ve got me there’.

Hope slipped her phone underneath her pillow and turned around to spoon Carli.

——

Hope woke to a picture of Emily looking at some body of water as the sun hit her hair. The picture was beautiful, Emily looked at peace.

— —

**Heath: Any update from Emily?**   
**JJ: She’s still gone? Klingy: Yeah.**   
**Moe: I didn’t think the semi-finals fucked her up that much.**   
**Alyssa: I don’t think that’s it.**   
**Moe: Then what?**   
**Alyssa: She’s been looking sad for awhile now. I think she just needs a break.**   
**Horan: Well I hope wherever she’s breaking that she’s practicing.**   
**Hope: She’s responsible, I’m sure she’s making sure everything is handled.**

— —

Hope hasn’t heard from Emily in two days. The first day she thought it was a fluke, that the girl had gotten caught up in wherever, or whoever, she was with. But on the second day when Emily hadn’t answered her text or phone call Hope begins to panic.

“She hasn’t called me back Carli.”

“When’s the last time you talked to her?” Carli asked after putting down her book.

“Two days ago?” Hope asked out loud as she thought about it, “Yeah two days ago.”

“I don’t know what we can do since we don’t know where she is. But how about we wait until the third day to really panic, ok?”

Hope nodded her head and put her phone back in her pocket, “I’m just worried. That’s all.”

“You know what you being protective of our kids does to me Hope.” Carli joked.

Hope smiles before looking down at her phone again. 

— —

Emily shows up to Houston the next day red eyed and tired.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pancakes and tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been sitting on my laptop for five months maybe? It felt like this chapter needed something more but I decided to let it go.

It’s 6:58 AM when Hope hears the doorbell ring. Setting down her morning coffee she walks into the living room ready to make fun of Carli who still forgets to grab her keys when she goes on a run. Hope passes the boys, who are cuddled up in their bed, looking at the door with distrust.

“Don’t worry boys. Mommy just forgot her keys…again.” Hope reaches the door and opens it, “Forget something- Emily?”

The young defender stood on the doorstep with a backpack thrown over her shoulder and red, puffy eyes.

“Hey Solo.” The girl tries to pull her usual smile but her eyes are empty, “Long time no see.”

Without hesitating Hope pulls the girl into a one armed hug and squeezes her tight. Emily goes rigid for a quick second before completely sagging on to the goalkeeper; she lets out a long sigh as she allows her face to find the crook of Hope’s neck.

Hope pulls away and watches as tears begin to surface in Emily’s eyes, “Let get something to eat and we’ll talk when you’re ready. Ok kid?”

Emily nods her head in understanding. The goalkeeper grabs her hand and pulls her into the house.

— — — 

Hope sends Emily off to shower as she the older woman cooks breakfast. It was supposed to be a light day, Carli’s idea of course, but a clearly broken hearted girl deserved at least a good fattening breakfast. 

The bacon sizzled in the pan as Hope heard the opening of the front door. She doesn’t have to turn around to know that Carli had entered the room. The sound of the boys nails, which needed to be cut soon, on the hardwood floors alerts Hope to the fact that her partner was being followed by the boys.

“Bacon.” Carli says in a form of greeting, “Really? I thought we were supposed to be good today?”

Hope turns around unimpressed, “Good morning to you too princess.” With a raised eye brow Hope turns back to the pancake batter. She feels arms wrap around her and a kiss be placed on her neck.

“Morning Hope.” Carli whispers, “Now whats up with the bacon and the pancakes- you don’t even like pancakes.”

“We have a guest.” Hope informs her.

“A guest?”

Hope turns in Carli’s arms to face her, she bites at her lip as she gestures to their guest bathroom, “Emily. She showed up a little after you left.”

“She just showed up?” Carli asks.

The goalkeeper nods, “I have no idea. She was just on our porch and… I’m worried about her.” Hope admits she looks towards the bathroom, “She doesn’t look so good.”

Carli takes both of Hope’s hands and squeezes them, “Well she came to the right place then. If there’s anyone who can help it’s you.”

“I don’t-

“She looks up to you.” Carli cuts her off, “I might be her captain but she didn’t fly from who knows where so that she could talk to me. She came here for you because she trust you and knows that you care about her.”

Carli raises their joined hands and kisses them, “Now go get her some clothes to change in to while I finish the pancakes. God knows you can only make lumpy ones.” 

Hope rolls her eye’s and allows herself to be shooed away from the kitchen. She hears the water stop as she passes the guest bathroom.

Knocking Hope says, “Hey Em, if you want fresh clothes I can bring you some or you can follow me to the bedroom and pick something yourself.”

The click of the door unlocking alerts Hope to step back as Emily’s head pops out through the crack of the now opened door, “Yes to the clean clothes if you don’t mind. All of mine are dirty.”

“Of course, I don’t know what will fit you exactly. So if you want to come with me we’ll get you some comfy ones.” Hope tells her softly, “And maybe comb for your hair, it’s almost as unruly as Carli’s.”

Emily closes the door for a moment before opening it again. She’s wrapped in one of the light blue towels that Carli let Hope pick out the other day. Hope gestures her head for Emily to follow as she makes her way to the master bedroom.

“Let’s see.” Hope says as she walks into the room; there’s a stack of clean clothing on the dresser that Hope goes to. She pulls out one of her Washington shirts and a pair of bright orange shorts. “Here you go kid. You can use our bathroom, there should be some hair stuff in there.”

Shuffling her feet Emily walks into the private bathroom. Hope sits on the bed and tries to think about nothing. She was a panic-er at heart. Her head was already spinning with possibilities of what could have put Emily in this state. It wasn’t until now, until this exact moment when Hope is sitting on her unmade bed staring at the blank white wall in front of her, that she understood how much she had cared for the young defender. 

Kids had never been important for her life plan. They weren’t necessary for her, or Carli, to be happy. She already had someone to pass her goalkeeper skills onto, Hayley, and a World Cup under her name- she didn’t need anything else. But Emily? Emily had somehow wormed her way into the center of the goalkeepers heart next to Carli. Hope couldn’t help but already feel furious at whoever had broken her Emily’s heart while at the same time being broken hearted for the girl.

If this was the way the parents felt all the time Hope hated it.

The door opens, snapping Hope out of her thoughts, and Emily walks out with freshly dressed. She spots Hope on the bed and sits next to her and stares at the wall. For a moment the air was still as the women breathed in synch. Spotting movement from the side of her vision Hope slightly turns to see Emily’s shoulders shaking. 

“Oh Em.” Hope whispers as she places her hand on the girls knee, cursing her still healing shoulder, “Honey.”

Those three words seemed to open the floodgates and Emily began to sob. Loudly. Laying her head on the goalkeepers shoulders Emily let all of her emotions from the last few months. Hope squeezed her knee to get her attention, “Lets move up the bed a little so that we can lay down.”

Through sobs Emily says, “But breakfast.”

“Breakfast can wait. Lets just lay down for a bit.” Hope shifts up the bed laying down on her pillow. Emily follows but stops to lay her head on Hope’s stomach and wrap an arm around her waist. Out of pure instinct Hope’s fingers find her way into Emily’s hair and begins to massage her scalp.

“Hope.” Emily hiccups. 

“Shhh. Lets just rest ok? We’ll talk more once we’ve gotten a little sleep in us.” Hope tells her. The other girl doesn’t respond but simply burrows herself further into Hope. For a few minutes Hope can feel Emily’s body shake with silent tears until the defenders body finally falls asleep.

And in that moment Hope swears that she will hunt down whoever hurt Emily. 

— — — 

A few hours later Hope awakes to the sound of the door creaking open. She cracks her eyes open to see Carli leaning against the door looking at her. A slight weight on her stomach reminds her of the current Emily situation and she feels herself getting angry all over again.

“You two ready to get up?” Carli whispers as she gestures to Emily.

Hope shrugs as her hands fins their way into Emily’s hair, “She’s exhausted. I know she was over in Europe but I think this is past regular jet lag.”

“Well you’ve been asleep for about two hours so I think it’s best to wake her up; try and get her on a regular schedule.” Carli suggests as she frowns at the sleeping girl, “Anyway, I made those pancakes and I don’t want them to go to waste.”

Rolling her eyes Hope gestures for Carli to shoo, “We’ll be out there in a minute.”

Carli turns to leave, “Whatever you say Mama Solo.”

Ignoring her girlfriend Hope gently starts to scratch Emily’s scalp. “Em? Come on Emily it’s time to wake up.” The vibrations of the younger girls grumble alert Hope to Emily being awake. “Hey now.”

Emily brings a hand up to her eyes to wipe away the sleep, “Hope? What time is it?”

“Probably around 10.” Hope guesses, she allows her hands to muse Emily’s hair, “You ready to eat breakfast now?”

“Definitely. My stomach is about to eat it’s self.”

Hope taps the girl on the head, “Then up we go. Hopefully Carli made us the good pancakes and not the flax seed ones.” 

Emily scrunches her red nose, “Gross.”

“Gross indeed.”

— — — 

The kitchen was filled with the sound of chairs scraping against the floor, forks hitting plates, and glasses being set on the hardwood table. But under that was the sound of an elephant swishing it’s tail.

In other words it was awkward. Real awkward. 

Finally after a few minutes pass Carli is the first to speak, “I scheduled an appointment for the boys tomorrow at four. Since I have a training session you’ll have to take them Hope.”

Hope looks over at Emily, “Emily and I can do it. Make a day of it?”

Emily drops her fork and looks up at the two women across from her, “I was thinking about catching a flight-

“No!”

“Why?”

Carli and Hope look at each other before looking back at Emily. 

“You just got here.” Hope levels with her, “You might as well stay for a night or two.”

Carli nods her head, “Yeah. And I already made up the guest bedroom, it would be a shame if it wasn’t used once.”

Emily just nods her head and moves food around her pate, “Right.”

Hope lightly kicks Carli under the table and glares, “And we want you here. I’ve missed you.”

The younger girls smiles briefly before frowning, “Do you mind if I go back to sleep? I’ve been up for a long time and I’m just… I’m tired.”

“Of course, do you want me to wrap up your food for later?” Hope asks as she and Emily stand up. Emily picks up her plate and looks down at the mess she had made.

Carli stands up from the table as well, “If she wants pancakes later I’ll just make her some fresh ones. Em, don’t worry about your plate I’ll take care of it.”

Sheepishly Emily passes her plate over, “Sorry Carli.

“It’s no problem kid. Go get some sleep.”

Hope leads Emily out into the hallway and to the guest bedroom. True to her word Carli had put new sheets in the room and aired it out by opening the window slightly. The room was decorated in yellow and grey. A clear sign that Carli, Ms. What’s Wrong With White, did not have a hand in the decorating process.

Emily stops at the foot of the bed and turns to look at Hope, “Thanks.

“No prob-

“For everything.” Emily stops her, “For checking up on me, for letting me pop up here, for letting me stay the night. I.. thanks.”

Hope walks up to Emily and places her hand cheek, “That’s what family is for.”

Emily feels tears begin to pool in her eyes and she tries her best to keep them from falling. She manages to nod her and choke out, “Right.” 

“Go to bed kid.” Hope kisses Emily’s forehead, “Whatever’s wrong we can figure out later. Just get some sleep and we’ll talk once you feel better.”

Hope watches as Emily gets into bed from the doorway, when the girl was finally settled Hope flicks off the light and turns to walk out to the kitchen.

“Love you Hope.”

The goalkeeper falters, eyes wide and heart racing.

“Love you too Emily.”  
— — — 

In the kitchen Carli washes the dishes with a from caught up in her own thoughts. 

Whenever Carli watches Emily and Hope together she has to force back a scoff. The two other women were so similar to each other that it hurt to watch almost. Subtle fidgeting and avoidance of any awkward conversation- it was utterly ridiculous.

And cute. 

It would be a lie if Carli didn’t say that she found the similarities between Hope and Emily adorable. When she looked at Emily she only saw a a younger Hope that didn’t have the weight of the world on her shoulders. At least she did until the girl showed up this morning. Whatever, whoever, did this to Emily had stripped some of that youngness from her. Emily looked a tad more resigned now, somehow more serious, and there was only one thing that could cause that this fast- heartbreak. 

And whoever did this, whoever break her heart, was going to get what they deserve.Whoever could do this to Emily needed a swift kick to the head.

— — — 

It was 9PM and Emily had been asleep for almost twelve hours. 

“This can’t be normal.”

Hope was freaking out.

“I know the body needs time to adjust after traveling but not this much. Right?” Hope asks Carli as she paces in front of the couch, “Should I call Dawn? Dawn would know what to do.”

Hope reaches for her cellphone on the couch but is stopped by Carli wrapping a hand around her wrist, “She’s fine.”

“She’s not fine Carli! She’s been asleep for twelve hours and has barely eaten.”

Carli pulls Hope into her, wrapping her hands around her girlfriends waist, “Ok she’s fine physically then. She’s just… sad Hope.”

Hope sighs and lays her head on Carli’s shoulder, “I know. I just wish I could do something.”

“And you can. Tomorrow. Tomorrow you can talk to her. But for tonight we’re going to let her sleep.” Carli brings a hand to Hope’s hair and begins to scratch her scalp, “How about we get in bed and pop in the first Harry Potter movie?”

Hope mumbles something in to Carli’s shoulder.

“What was that mumbles?”

“I said not without Em. Maybe we can watch it with her tomorrow, to cheer her up.”

Carli laughs softly, “Sounds good Hope.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of have this thing where I only want to post chapters if they're like more than 3K words but I've grown up and realized it's better to post what I want and not stress about word count. Anyway, it's good to be back.

**Author's Note:**

> Any guesses on who Emily went to go visit. Honestly this pairing came out of nowhere and I don't know what's wrong with me but here we are.


End file.
